Try to find the D-70 (8" drivers) or D-80 (10" drivers). This line was replaced by the Saturn line, in my opinion because it was almost identical to the (twice the price) D-500 and D-700. Same drivers, same crossovers, just not ported, and the cabinets are few inches shorter. I run the D-70's with a Mesa Baron amplifier, in full Triode mode with Zero Negative feedback, which is about 100 watts per channel (tri-Tube model with 12 EL34's), and must disagree with "Gotog". They're 91db efficient, and I can NOT turn my preamp above 1/2 way, EVER. Infact, 1/3 is about the limit in my 11x15 room (even with 6 sound abbsorbtion panels on the side walls to soak up the bright plaster lathe walls). They work incredibly well with Tube amps, and I would have to assume that "Gotog" had them hooked up to the 4 ohm taps on his amps, because the 8 ohm taps sound 100% better, and actually are more efficient. Not sure why, but they sound much better with a slightly Higher ohm load (with a tube amp, and I think the theory goes that tube amps work opposite of SS amps in this department), and you get much better bass response, and a better blend of the midrange. On 4 ohm taps the midrange jumps out in your face, infront of everything else. These opinions are with the speakers Bi-Wired, and using a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Hybrid preamp with 20db of gain. Don't use MIT interconnects with a Tannoy/Tube amp combo, there's already plenty of Midrange (I made this mistake for 1 year, went through 3 preamps before I figured it out). Good Luck!
Any Opinions on Tannoy Speakers?
I'm finding that the speaker companies without large marketing budgets don't get much review press. Does anyone have opinions on the Tannoy d500, or any other Tannoy speakers? I'll be in a fairly large room with a McIntosh amp. I thought the d500 design might also appease my wife. Thanks.